Connecticut man sentenced for role in illegal gambling

HARTFORD — A man was sentenced to prison on Friday for his role in illegal gambling businesses that prosecutors said were controlled by a New York organized crime group.

The Connecticut U.S. attorney's office said Joseph Borea, 56, of New Canaan, was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 33 months in prison.

Borea was fined $50,000 and ordered to forfeit $75,000. He was arrested last year and pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiring to violate racketeering law.

Prosecutors said Borea collected gambling debts for a Stamford-based Internet sports bookmaking operation and card gambling clubs in Stamford and Hamden that were tied to Gambino organized crime associates in New York.

Prosecutors said the sports betting operation had gross revenues of nearly $1.7 million from October 2010 to June 2011.

Two co-defendants who ran the operations also have pleaded guilty to racketeering-related charges, prosecutors said. One is serving an almost six-year sentence, and the other is serving an almost four-year sentence, they said.

Prosecutors said 18 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the investigation have agreed to forfeit about $1.4 million.